Showing posts with label Labour. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Labour. Show all posts

Friday, February 16, 2024

John Curtice: By-election Results Leave Tories with Mountain to Climb

BBC: This was another disappointing election night for the Conservatives, with two by-election defeats and two gains for Labour.

Not only did they lose Kingswood, where Labour needed a relatively modest 11-point swing. They also lost Wellingborough, where an 18-point swing was required for the seat to change hands. » | Sir John Curtice, Professor of Politics at Strathclyde University | Friday, February 16, 2024

Alhamdulillah! Somebody give them some poison to finish them off! Take pity on them! Put them out of their misery! Once and for all. They’ve had fourteen years in office and not only have they given us that ridiculous Brexit — which I will never forgive them for, especially depriving me and my compatriots of our European citizenship — but they have heaped misery and poverty on so many Brits and heaped millions and billions on the one percenters. The economy is in an appalling mess. Chaos abounds. A new Victorian Era beckons, to boot. And the best Sunak can come up with is tax cuts for the rich, a perpetual smoking ban for young adults, lies and delusion. He cares not a jot for the working poor who have to go to food banks to feed their children, or for the homeless who are destitute and who have to sleep rough on our streets. Sunak was raised in a bubble, was educated in a bubble, and lives in a bubble. The man is shameless. How on earth can he sleep at night?

I used to be a dyed-in-the-wool Tory voter. After this mess and after robbing me of my European citizenship, I shall never vote for them again.

I dislike Labour; but I despise the Tories.

As a Welshman, I am beginning to think that the best thing that could happen for Wales is to become an independent country in Europe, just as the Republic of Ireland is. Being independent in the EU has brought prosperity to Southern Ireland. It could do the same for my country: Wales. – © Mark Alexander

Saturday, February 03, 2024

Michael Lambert: The UK Has No Future Outside the EU

Feb 3, 2024 | It is now four years since the UK finally left the EU. The period since Brexit under an incompetent and corrupt Conservative government has brought economic decline, social division and poverty to millions. Every week brings more economic bad news. Under Rishi sunak, the Tories are deeply divided and the prime minister has resorted to regularly lying in order to defend his lamentable record of incompetence.

Labour will inherit an economy in severe difficulty and decline and, even though it is widely accepted that Brexit is responsible for many of our problems, Keir Starmer has repeatedly insisted that under his leadership, the UK will never seek to rejoin the Single Market, the Customs Union of the European Union or agree to freedom of movement, or attempt to return to membership of the EU. Britain, however, has no future outside the EU and seems destined to continually decline.


Saturday, October 14, 2023

Michael Lambert: STARMER - Sitting on Fences

Oct 14, 2023 | Last week was the Labour party conference in Liverpool. The mood was optimistic since it is now widely expected that Labour will form the next government with Keir Starmer as prime minister.

In his keynote speech, Starmer failed to mention many of the major issues facing the country such as global warming, AI, fraud and electoral reform. He spoke about various reforms including ending non-dom tax relief, ending tax relief for private schools and reform of the planning system to facilitate the building of many more houses. However, in a speech marked by meaningless management speak he said very little about how all of his proposed reforms were to be paid for.

Towards the end of his speech, he did acknowledge that growing the economy would entail expansion of business. The current Tory cabinet and the 31-strong shadow cabinet have virtually no business experience and it is doubtful if they really understand that backing new small businesses is crucial to the success of the economy and is the only way that all of the reforms Starmer wants to make can be financed.


Friday, October 06, 2023

‘Seismic Night in Scotland’: Labour Crushes SNP in Rutherglen and Hamilton West Byelection

GUARDIAN EUROPE: Michael Shanks wins contest Labour considered a crucial test of apparent turnaround of its fortunes in Scotland

Scottish Labour’s Michael Shanks has won the Rutherglen and Hamilton West byelection in an overwhelming victory over the SNP that his party leadership declared “seismic”, and a clear demonstration that Scotland could lead the way in delivering a Labour government at Westminster at the coming general election.

In a result that exceeded Scottish Labour expectation, Shanks beat his closest rival, the SNP’s Katy Loudon, by 17,845 votes to 8,399 – a majority of 9,446 and a resounding swing of more than 20 percentage points.

The result marked a “seismic night in Scotland”, and proved that “Scottish politics has fundamentally changed”, said the Scottish Labour leader, Anas Sarwar. Voters were sending “a very clear message that they are sick of two tired, failing, incompetent governments”, he added. (with video) » | Libby Brooks and Severin Carrell | Friday, October 6, 2023

What Labour’s Rutherglen victory means for SNP and UK politics: Party’s victory may point to a change in Scottish political alignments that spells danger for Humza Yousaf »

Thursday, September 21, 2023

Keir Starmer: Labour in Power Would Not ‘Want to Diverge’ from EU

THE GUARDIAN: Party leader says he would not bring in lower environmental and food standards than in Europe or reduce workers’ rights

Keir Starmer at the Global Progress Action Summit in Montreal on 16 September, where he blamed most of the UK’s conflict with Europe post-Brexit on attempts to diverge from it.Photograph: Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images

Keir Starmer has gone further than before in outlining his vision of a future UK relationship with the EU, saying Labour didn’t “want to diverge” – in comments that were immediately seized on by the Conservatives.

The Labour leader was speaking at an event in Canada bringing together liberal and centre-left politicians, where he said that “most of the conflict” since Brexit had arisen because the UK “wants to diverge and do different things to the rest of our EU partners”.

“Actually we don’t want to diverge, we don’t want to lower standards, we don’t want to rip up environmental standards, standards for people that work, food standards and all the rest of it,” he said during a question and answer session on Saturday at the event in Montreal. » | Ben Quinn, Political correspondent | Thursday, September 21, 2023

Saturday, January 07, 2023

Hope for Labour as Sunak Shows Tories Are Out of Ideas

Jan 7, 2023 | This week prime minister Rishi Sunak and Labour leader Keir Starmer both gave speeches aimed at outlining their policies and strategies for the coming year. Whilst Sunak's speech contained many vague, vacuous and meaningless aspirations, Starmer's speech included plenty of new ideas. Sunak barely mentioned Brexit, in a single sentence referring to the agility of UK regulations post exiting the EU as being an opportunity to seize. Starmer reminded us that he had been a 'Remainer' but that he had been unable to disagree with those who had voted to leave. Whilst Starmer mentioned global warming, AI and an ageing population, Sunak failed to mention any of these major issues. Sunak presented his five pledges including legislation to stop small boats crossing the Channel whilst Starmer outlined his proposals to devolve powers from an over-centralised Westminster.

Wednesday, September 28, 2022

Liz Truss' Ex-colleague Says She's Been Humiliated, and Labour Could Let Him Back into Politics

Rory Stewart is a former Conservative international development secretary, a host of 'The Rest is Politics' podcast and the CEO of charity Give Directly.


Liz Truss and Kwasi Kwarteng are not up to their jobs. The Conservatives are no longer up to the job of governing this country, either. They have been in power for far too long. They are stale. We need change in this country.

Brexit was a very stupid idea. We should never have left the EU. It was national suicide. We shot ourselves in the foot. We are Europeans. Our destiny is in Europe. We need to return to the European Union asap. The adolescents have had their time in the spotlight; now it is time for the grown-ups to take control again. – © Mark Alexander

Nach dem Fehlstart von Liz Truss wittert Labour-Chef Starmer die grosse Chance auf einen Machtwechsel

NEUE ZÜRCHER ZEITUNG: Der Labour-Vorsitzende Keir Starmer hat seine Partei aus dem Griff der altlinken Corbyn-Anhänger befreit. Nachdem Liz Truss mit ihrer Schuldenwirtschaft die Märkte aufgeschreckt hat, will er die Tories erstmals nach zwölf Jahren wieder von der Macht vertreiben.

«Eine fairere, grünere Zukunft»: Keir Starmer bei seiner programmatischen Rede am Labour-Parteitag in Liverpool. | Jon Super / AP

Seit dem Wahlsieg von David Cameron im Jahr 2010 sucht die britische Labour-Partei verzweifelt nach einem Rezept, um die strategisch gewieften Tories von den Regierungsbänken zu verdrängen. Nun bietet sich der Partei erstmals seit Jahren eine realistische Perspektive, bei den spätestens Ende 2024 stattfindenden Unterhauswahlen an die Macht zu kommen – wenn nicht aus eigener Kraft, so doch dank der Unterstützung oder Duldung von Liberaldemokraten und schottischen Nationalisten.

In den Hotel-Lobbys und Bars in Liverpool, wo die Labour-Mitglieder noch bis am Mittwoch ihren jährlichen Parteitag abhalten, war in den letzten Tagen statt des üblichen Fatalismus eine neue Zuversicht greifbar. Und Labour-Chef Keir Starmer erklärte bei seiner grossen programmatischen Rede am Dienstagnachmittag: «Dies ist ein historischer Moment für Labour.» Labour im Umfrage-Hoch » | Niklaus Nuspliger, Liverpool | Mittwoch, 28. September 2022

Thursday, September 22, 2022

Labour May Abolish House of Lords If It Wins Next Election, Leaked Report Reveals

THE GUARDIAN: Exclusive: Constitutional review by Gordon Brown also recommends devolving economic powers

Gordon Brown was commissioned to undertake the constitutional review by the Labour leader, Keir Starmer. Photograph: Russell Cheyne/Reuters

Labour is considering abolishing the House of Lords and replacing it with an upper house of nations and regions, as well as handing sweeping new powers to local regions and devolved nations, a leaked report has revealed.

The constitutional review by the former prime minister Gordon Brown, which has been seen by MPs and shadow cabinet ministers, recommends devolving new economic powers, including over taxation, and creating new independent councils of the nations and for England.

The review, seen by the Guardian, recommends: » | Jessica Elgot Chief political correspondent | Thursday, September 22, 2022

Friday, September 16, 2022

Idea of Monarchy as Symbol of Duty or Sacrifice ‘A Lie’, Says Labour’s Clive Lewis

THE GUARDIAN: MP and former shadow cabinet member speaks out despite leader’s call for silence before Queen’s funeral

Clive Lewis makes a speech during his failed leadership bid in 2020. Photograph: Stefan Rousseau/PA

The notion of the royal family as symbols of duty or sacrifice to the nation is “a lie” and is at the centre of a deeply unequal UK, a senior Labour MP has argued, breaching Keir Starmer’s order to his party to stay silent ahead of the Queen’s funeral on Monday.

Clive Lewis, the Norwich South MP and former shadow cabinet minister, said the arrest of anti-monarchy protesters and the condemnation of others who dissented showed that the royal succession “is as much about coercion as consent”.

In an article for the Guardian, one which is likely to infuriate Starmer’s office, Lewis said his initial response to the idea of people queuing for many hours to file past the Queen’s coffin was “one of bemusement followed by a touch of despair”.

Seeking to extrapolate lessons from the phenomenon for those, like him, who seek a transition to a republic, Lewis argued that media interviews with the mourners often showed a key motivation was the “need to feel part of something more than themselves”.

The “fundamental truth” about the monarchy, he argued, was its role as a national distraction: “It is a spectacle exalted for exemplifying virtues that should be typical in public life and public behaviour. Casting such behaviour as exceptional allows the likes of Boris Johnson, Liz Truss and the economic elites they represent to break and exploit the rules for their own benefit and that of their very narrow class interest – of which the monarchy is an integral part.” » | Peter Walker, Political correspondent | Friday, September 16, 2022

Monday, July 04, 2022

Labour Says It Would Not Unpick Brexit as Starmer Vows to Cut Red Tape

THE GUARDIAN: Leader will condemn Tories’ approach and pledge to cut back on trade- and travel-based bureaucracy

Labour has denied it wants to “unpick” Brexit, ahead of a speech on the issue by Keir Starmer on Monday evening in which he will pledge to cut back on trade- and travel-based red tape with the EU.

Engaging with a subject his party has largely sought to avoid since he took over as leader, Starmer will stress that Labour has no plans to try to get the UK back into the EU’s single market or customs union.

Detailing a plan first outlined by David Lammy, the shadow foreign secretary, on the sixth anniversary of the Brexit vote in June, Starmer will reportedly condemn the current situation as a “mess”. » | Peter Walker, Political correspondent | Monday, July 4, 2022

Keir Starmer has just lost the next election! Brexit "unpicked"? Brexit doesn't need unpicking; it needs scrapping! It was a half-baked idea put forward by half-baked people from the very start. No politician in his right mind would have proposed a referendum on Brexit! Leaving the Single Market was an exercise in self-harm. Asking the British electorate to vote for Brexit was rather like asking turkeys to vote for Christmas!

Mr. Starmer: Fortune favours the brave. There is nothing brave about informing the electorate that you have no intention of "unpicking" the results of a flawed referendum. That referendum wasn't democratic in the first place. The British electorate were sold a bill of goods; further, they have been played like marionettes – by Putin&Co. Follow the money; follow the motives! Putin wanted to weaken the European Union for reasons which should now be clear to all.

We Brits need to get back into the EU asap. We should scrap Brexit, not unpick the damn thing. – © Mark Alexander


Labour-Chef zieht Strich unter die Vergangenheit: Noch immer träumen viele in der Labour Party vom Wiedereintritt in die EU oder wenigstens in den Binnenmarkt. Diese Debatte will Keir Starmer nun beenden. »

Friday, January 21, 2022

Tory Whips Allegedly Tried to Smear Christian Wakeford after Defection

THE GUARDIAN: Exclusive: Allegations emerge of attempts to spread rumours about Bury South MP minutes after he crossed floor

Bury South MP Christian Wakeford. A government source said of the allegations that ‘it would be unacceptable’. Photograph: Christopher Furlong/Getty

Conservative ministers and whips began spreading rumours about Christian Wakeford’s personal life minutes after the MP defected to Labour, it has been alleged amid growing concerns over dirty tactics in politics.

The Guardian has been told that senior members of the government spread the rumours in parliament after the MP for Bury South crossed the floor on Wednesday.

On Thursday, the senior Tory MP William Wragg urged MPs to report government ministers, whips and advisers to the Speaker – and even the Metropolitan police – for what he claimed was attempted blackmail of some colleagues suspected of opposing Boris Johnson. Johnson said he had “seen no evidence” of such threats.

A Labour source said the party had prepared Wakeford before his defection for the possibility of the Tories or hostile media trying to dig around in his private life. » | Rowena Mason, Aubrey Allegretti and Heather Stewart | Friday, January 21, 2022

Wednesday, January 19, 2022

Tory MP Christian Wakeford Defects to Labour, Blaming PM’s ‘Disgraceful’ Conduct

THE GUARDIAN: Bury South MP says Tory policies ‘doing nothing’ to help constituents, piling further pressure on Boris Johnson

The Bury South MP, Christian Wakeford, sitting on the opposition benches during PMQs on Wednesday. Photograph: House of Commons/PA

The Tory MP Christian Wakeford has defected to Labour, piling more pressure on Boris Johnson as growing numbers within his own party call on the prime minister to resign.

Just minutes before prime minister’s questions, Wakeford – elected as the MP for Bury South in 2019 – crossed the floor to sit with Keir Starmer’s party, declaring in a letter to Johnson resigning the Conservative whip that he was “incapable of offering the leadership and government this country deserves”.

The move will prove a huge embarrassment for Johnson, who is fighting to avoid enough of his own backbenchers submitting letters calling for a no-confidence vote. Fifty-four are needed to trigger a ballot. Many of those who have written a letter are members of the 2019 intake, like Wakeford. He submitted a letter last week.

In a letter to Johnson released on Wednesday afternoon, Wakeford said he believed “the policies of the Conservative government that you lead are doing nothing to help the people of my constituency and indeed are only making the struggles they face on a daily basis worse”.

Raising concerns about the “cost of living crisis” and how the country should emerge from the Covid pandemic, Wakeford said the UK needed “a government that upholds the highest standards of integrity and probity in public life”.

He added: “Sadly, both you and the Conservative party as a whole have shown themselves incapable of offering the leadership and government this country deserves.” » | Aubrey Allegretti, Political correspondent | Wednesday, January 19, 2022

David Davis tells Boris Johnson ‘in the name of God, go’ after Tory MP for Bury South defects to Labour »

Who is Christian Wakeford and who are the red wall MPs plotting against PM? »

'In the name of God, go!' Boris is told to QUIT over Partygate by ex-minister David Davis in bear-pit PMQs just minutes after Red Wall Tory MP DEFECTS to Labour - as 'Pork Pie plotters' vow no confidence vote and Keir Starmer says more rebels are 'welcome': Boris Johnson is struggling to quell a so-called 'Pork Pie Plot' with dozens of Red Wall MPs threatening coup / Around 20 MPs are thought to have held a secret lunchtime meeting on plans to force Tory leadership contest / Bishop Auckland MP Dehenna Davison and fellow Tory Alicia Kearns were identified as ringleaders by sources »

«Partygate»-Affäre: Parteiinterne Rebellion gegen britischen Premier weitet sich aus – Johnson bläst zum Gegenangriff: Hinter den Kulissen brodelt es, immer mehr Tories scheinen am Stuhl von Boris Johnson zu sägen. Doch der Regierungschef gibt sich noch nicht geschlagen. »

Turbulente Debatte in London: Johnson wartet auf «Partygate»-Bericht und schliesst sofortige Konsequenzen aus »

Saturday, June 19, 2021

John Bercow Defects to Labour with Withering Attack on Johnson

THE OBSERVER: Former Speaker says party has become reactionary and xenophobic under its current leadership

John Bercow, the former Tory MP and Speaker of the House of Commons, today delivers an extraordinary broadside against Boris Johnson and the Conservative party as he announces he has switched his political allegiance to Labour.

In an explosive interview with the Observer, Bercow says he regards today’s Conservative party as “reactionary, populist, nationalistic and sometimes even xenophobic”.

Bercow, who stepped down as Speaker in 2019 after 10 years, says he joined the Labour party a few weeks ago because he now shares its values and sees it is as the only means to removing the current Tory government from office.

“I am motivated by support for equality, social justice and internationalism. That is the Labour brand,” he said. “The conclusion I have reached is that this government needs to be replaced. The reality is that the Labour party is the only vehicle that can achieve that objective. There is no other credible option.” » | Toby Helm, Political editor | Saturday, June 19, 2021

Monday, November 25, 2019

Tony Blair Says Tories and Labour Engaged in ‘Populism Running Riot'


THE GUARDIAN: Former PM lambasts parties and says upcoming election is ‘weirdest of my lifetime’

Tony Blair has said neither Labour nor the Conservatives are seen as fit to win the general election, accusing both parties of peddling “fantasies”.

The former prime minister, one of the architects of New Labour who was speaking at a Reuters Newsmaker event in London, said Britain’s biggest parties were engaged in “populism running riot” and it would end in tears.

Blair has repeatedly called for Brexit to be reversed and said the right thing would have been to hold a second referendum followed by a general election.

He described the poll on 12 December as “the weirdest of my lifetime”, adding: “The truth is: the public aren’t convinced either main party deserve to win this election outright. They’re peddling two sets of fantasies and both, as majority governments, pose a risk it would be unwise for the country to take.”

Blair, who guided Labour to three election victories, said people “rightly” did not trust Boris Johnson with a “blank cheque”. He said though Labour were promising a revolution, “the problem with revolutions is never how they begin but how they end”. » | Haroon Siddique | Monday, November 25, 2019

Tuesday, August 13, 2019

Tom Watson Urges Labour to Work with Lib Dems to Stop No-deal Brexit


THE GUARDIAN: Labour deputy leader says union with Jo Swinson only way to block no-deal Brexit

Labour’s deputy leader Tom Watson has urged his party to work with the Liberal Democrats in order to stop a no-deal Brexit, as the party’s new leader Jo Swinson made clear she would work with Watson, despite having ruled out an alliance with Jeremy Corbyn.

The remarks by the two senior politicians at a round table on Wednesday are likely to spark anger from the Labour leadership. Swinson has previously ruled out working with the Labour leader, branding him a Brexiter who could not be trusted to fight for a second referendum to keep the UK in the EU. » | Jessica Elgot | Tuesday, August 13, 2019

Monday, April 27, 2015

Labour Would Outlaw Islamophobia, Says Miliband in an Exclusive Interview


THE MUSLIM NEWS: A future Labour Government is committed to outlaw the scourge of Islamophobia by changing the law and making it an aggravated crime, according to the Party’s Leader Ed Miliband.

“We are going to make it an aggravated crime. We are going to make sure it is marked on people’s records with the police to make sure they root out Islamophobia as a hate crime,” Miliband told the Editor of The Muslim News, Ahmed J Versi in a wide ranging exclusive interview.

“We are going to change the law on this so we make it absolutely clear of our abhorrence of hate crime and Islamophobia. It will be the first time that the police will record Islamophobic attacks right across the country,” he said.

Labour Party Manifesto pledged to take a “zero-tolerance approach to hate crime” regarding the growth of Islamophobia as well as anti-Semitism. “We will challenge prejudice before it grows, whether in schools, universities or on social media. And we will strengthen the law on disability, homophobic, and transphobic hate crime,” it said. » | Hamed Chapman | Friday, April 24, 2015

HT: Robert Spencer @ Jihad Watch »